About The Strengthening Food & Farm Foundations: Farmer Track
The Strengthening Food & Farm Foundations: Farmer Track is a professional development program for New York farmers and producers through American Farmland Trust's New York Farm to School Institute. Participants will join a cohort of farmers and producers for the Institute's inaugural Farmer Track as a pathway to establish and maintain relationships with K-12 schools and food hubs.
Our program offers an opportunity to gain knowledge and business planning necessary to access institutional markets in school cafeterias statewide. Key features of the Farmer Track include:
- An in-person retreat from August 12+13, 2025, at the Mabee Farm Historic Site in Rotterdam Junction, NY, where farmers will engage in hands-on learning, discussion, and training sessions.
- A three-part workshop series, hosted in spring and fall, designed to guide farmers through the foundations of Farm to School sales, on-farm readiness, and securing institutional buyers.
- Discussion and training sessions that focus on business needs, peer-to-peer learning, and market networking, helping farmers connect with others navigating similar challenges and opportunities.
- Ongoing technical assistance provided by industry experts with firsthand farming and sales experience, ensuring farmers receive tailored support to navigate institutional markets.
- A potential stipend to support their business plans and participating in storytelling efforts, subject to grant funding availability.
To help us accomplish this work FINYS is working with Terrapin consulting. Kaitlyn Sirna (she/they) is the owner of Terrapin Consulting. Kaitlyn has consistently driven impactful initiatives that promote food sovereignty, centering & belonging, and economic growth. Their work is defined by a commitment to fostering collaboration, building resilient systems, and empowering communities to achieve sustainable success.
Applications for the Farmer Track have closed.
Farmer & School Meet and Greet
As part of the seventh New York Farm to School Institute's Summer Retreat, there will be a Farmer & School Meet and Greet on August 12th at the Mabee Farm Historic Site. This event is meant to bridge the connection between farmers and institutional markets of schools. All New York farmers, distributors, and school administrators, teachers, and food service professionals are welcome to attend. If you would like to attend, please fill out the Interest Form.
Questions?
Contact the FINYS team at [email protected] or 518-581-0078 for additional information or further questions about FINYS or the NY Farm to School Institute.
The New York State Farm to School Institute is a project of Farm to Institution New York State (FINYS), an initiative led by American Farmland Trust.